Dear Friends,    

Dear All Saints',

It is with a combination of joy, pride, and a pinch of apprehension that we share with you some important news: Bonnie has been slated as a candidate for Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Following careful discernment by their nominating committee, the Diocese of Michigan announced their initial slate of four candidates this morning.

In addition to sharing this exciting news, we wanted to inform you of what happens next in that process and what we as a congregation can expect. The Diocese of Michigan's Search and Nominating Committee will accept and consider petitions for additional nominees between now and March 18. Following background checks on new candidates, a final slate will be announced in mid-to-late April. Candidates will then attend a series of walkabouts at Michigan parishes from May 17 through 19. The Diocese's Electing Convention will be held on June 1, with votes grouped separately by clergy and lay representatives. The Bishop-elect will be the first person to receive a majority of votes from both of those groups on the same ballot. The new Bishop's start date will be November 1. Much more information on the Diocese of Michigan and their Bishop Transition, including what they are seeking from their new Bishop and more details on the timeline, can be found at https://www.edomi.org/bishop-transition/.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to ask Bonnie directly, or reach out to us (rlentz02@gmail.com or mattschuneman@gmail.com). We are more than happy to answer any and all questions, and if we don't immediately know the answer we will find out for you.

All of this speaks to what we know to be true: Bonnie is an amazing and inspirational leader, mentor, facilitator, and pastor. We are thrilled for her to be in the midst of this opportunity. Bonnie has expressed to us that she is really excited to continue in this discernment process with the people of the Diocese of Michigan. Now we as a congregation will prayerfully await what happens next, which we cannot anticipate but which we have faith will fulfill God's will for All Saints', for Michigan, and for the entire Episcopal Church.

Best,
Rob Lentz and Matt Schuneman
Co-Wardens 

Tuesdays 6:15-8:00pm 

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Annual Rector's Address

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Bonnie A. Perry

Dear Friends,

Resurrection means that there is always something more.

Being people of faith, Christians, we embrace the belief that even after death, there is something more. Literally and metaphorically that is how we live our lives. Resurrection means that there is always something more. At All Saints’ we embody this belief daily.

Sometimes we can be stymied by our success. Say, for instance, one year you put on a Hamilton-themed Christmas pageant with eye-popping costumes, beautiful music and stunning young people, then what? Since, there is always something more, a group of people gathers and talks and dreams of what comes next? I thought for sure we should do a combination A Star is Born and Queer Eye. (Imagine for just one minute, me explaining this theme to our 8-year-olds.)

Nonetheless, members of the youth group and I began to work on the script and as we were collaborating, one of our young people, Eleanor Reft said, “Maybe we could do something different?”
“Like what?”
“I went to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody and I wonder…”
To which I replied—“OH we could do all three movies!”

Youth group member, Gabriel Tucker, began to come up with lines and just then long-time parishioner and youth group leader, Hilary Waldron walked over and said, “No—simplify—tell the Christmas story and use music from Queen.”

And through our young people and Polly Tangora, Celestial Rhapsody was born. The day of the Christmas pageant, that Sunday, at our five services, more than 700 people joined us for worship. There is always something more.

Sadly, we are living in a world where our Children’s Christmas Pageant is but a single breath of hope in a toxic atmosphere clouded with fear, sadness and divisiveness.

I know for certain, we have found ourselves in other perilous times. Yet, this moment in history may be one of the most confounding that I, and perhaps many of us, have ever experienced. The nasty “isms” of the world are ascending, while the gracious “God-fullness” of humanity seems to be mired in a sinkhole.

What do we as people of faith, people who think about God, as people seeking community and longing for hope—what in God’s name are we supposed to be doing now? How are we supposed to be in this seemingly mucky, muddy world?

Remember: Resurrection means that there is always something more. Here’s where I think we go from here. Continue our anti-racist work, by focusing on raising racially aware children. Much in the manner in which we have educated ourselves and created a safe church culture for our children, we’ll create a community where we are more and more aware of our implicit racial biases, we’ll educate ourselves and actively work to counter the innate privileges our country offers to people who are perceived to be white. Currently twelve people from All Saints’ are working with SPEAK UP, a group of educators who invite and challenge teachers and parents to explore how they talk to children and interact with children around matters of race. Moving between personal history and public experiences, using reading, meditation, role playing and small and large group activities, SPEAK UP identifies the strains of white supremacy that are embedded in the fabric of our country and offers concrete ways for parents, teachers and young people to think and act differently. From all accounts it is an engaging effective process.

Our next group begins in Lent. It’s a 7-week training. The cost is $100 per person. All Saints’ will pay your fee if the cost is an issue. I’d like for us to fill four more of these sessions in 2019: Lent, Easter, Pentecost and All Saints’. When are you going to sign up? For more information speak with Liz Futrell or Kelly McNees.

Last year in my annual address I encouraged us to jump in even deeper in the fight for sensible gun legislation. Some three weeks later the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took place. The young people from that Parkland, Florida school rallied and demanded that people of good will join with them in a march on Washington DC. This congregation accepted that challenge and with the leadership of Andrea Garland, Matty Zaradich, and Liz Bartels and with assistance from six other Episcopal churches in our diocese 110 people went on a 42-hour Palm Sunday weekend pilgrimage by bus to Washington, DC. While many of us will never get on a bus again, we answered the call, young and old, and we were changed by our experience.

Now, in addition to protest politics, of which we have all done a great deal in the last two years I’d like for us to engage in a different strategy, community organizing. United Power for Action and Justice has invited us to join with them in their Do Not Stand Idly By campaign to create safer guns and more sensible gun laws. This campaign asks the basic question: who controls gun manufacturers? The answer being: the owners. So—why not buy stock shares of various gun manufacturers and then attend their annual meetings, en masse. It’s a tactic United Power has been using for several years now and it is working.

In addition to their work in sensible gun laws, United Power is also committed to Reclaiming the Southwest Side of Chicago. Part of how we end the deep segregation and racism in our city is by becoming allies and standing with our sisters and brothers who live in parts of our city, populated by poor people of color that lack the vast resources and services that many of us enjoy on the north side of our city. It is well past the time for these inequities to change. The more people who gather to hold our elected officials accountable the more likely it is that these inequities will be overcome.

A number of you have told me that you believe it is time for All Saints’ to become a powerful force in United Power and begin to organize our people, our passions and resources for systemic change. I agree. There is ample money in our proposed 2019 budget for this work. What I need to know if how many of you here today—are willing to invest time and prayer into this step-by-step campaign for profound change? Please tell me now.

So often when our country’s conscience is pricked by a tragedy or blatant inequity our elected leaders respond by saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.” People in the midst of the tragedies, have begun responding by asking people to start doing and stop praying. I believe, we are in a particularly interesting predicament. I sometimes wonder if we do too much acting and not enough praying. So here is my final challenge for us. Lent will soon be upon us, there is much that I long for us to do, and one of those activities is: to be. To be. To be rooted in our prayer, our scripture, and prophetic traditions. I want us to thoroughly understand what it means when Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah and says,

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
                  because he has anointed me to bring
                  good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
                  and recovery of sight to the blind
                  to let the oppressed go free,
     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Luke 4:18-19

I want us to know the theological underpinnings of the prophets, their contexts and how their words and actions may relate to our day. I want us to experience the discipline and joy of meditation, how it enables us to be grounded in our daily activities and not to revert to our unconscious selves, which may not always offer our best selves. Look for a five-week Sunday morning bible study starting in Lent, exploring these topics. And on Wednesday evenings, starting in Lent look for a candlelight service with simple music and ample time to reflect on the intersection of scripture and our lives.

In this chaotic time, I want us to be rooted now more than ever in our scripture and tradition. It is there that we will find nurture and sustenance for our souls so that we may do what we are being asked to do in this our world, to bring good news to the poor, to feed the hungry, to rebuild our city and offer community and compassion to all who long for connection and love.

And I want us to have fun! Should I say I want us to continue having and creating fun. The church has many sins, one of the most prevalent is that we have bored people to death. I want us to continue to be a faith community that is real. I want us to cry when we are sad, rage when we are angry and laugh when the world is funny. I want us to continue to be the place where we can create goofy videos, silly skits and offer laughter to heal our hearts and heal our sin sick souls.

These then are my hopes for all of us I enter into my 27th year of ministry with you. This place is the community of my dreams. Thank you for inviting me to be your priest with you for these many, many amazing years.

All my best in Christ,

The Rev. Dr. Bonnie A. Perry

XII Rector

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